After Tonight
by DrivenToHysterics
Summary: One blissful night together was all it took to forever change two people. Let the game begin... AU, SasuSaku.
1. Meeting

Disclaimer: The Naruto characters are property of Masashi Kishimoto.

**After Tonight**

Chapter One: Meeting...

Day gave way to night, and habit dictated that a black-haired man be at the bar of a high-end hotel. From a comfortable couch, he observed the crowd.

Sasuke Uchiha didn't get involved in relationships, having long ago found them all too troublesome. Instead, on every Saturday night, he would find himself a "partner"; it was, according to him, much simpler and infinitely more convenient. And of course, he could have anyone he wanted.

A little cloud of pale pink entered his line of vision, and his interest was, all of a sudden, piqued. Wearing a little black dress, she sat at the bar and searched around the lavish room, anxiety and excitement written all over her lovely face.

_She's waiting for her date_, he concluded, keeping her in his peripheral vision. It didn't matter to him either way. Taking the last sip from his drink, Sasuke Uchiha set down the glass and stood up.

_Time to find out if she's naturally pink-haired,_ he allowed himself a perverse little joke before approaching her. Then, suddenly it seemed, her facial expression changed. From excitement to shock, her flushed complexion considerably paled. He stopped in his tracks and followed her eyes to the scene she couldn't seem to look away from.

Across the room, a tall, handsome man slipped a hand around the waist of a red-haired woman, his intentions made clear by the way he whispered in her ear. His companion didn't seem to mind, a playful smile adorning her full lips. Immediately, Sasuke put the situation together. He continued to observe as the other man, having spotted the girl (for no one could overlook her pink hair), walked towards her. Slowly and cruelly, he looked down at her and said the two words, his lips forming "it's over". The next moment, he was gone along with the other woman.

Shoulders slumped; she turned to the bartender, and downed the drink when it came to her. It quite surprised him that she wasn't crying, for the fragile and delicate thing that she was. Shrugging to himself, he went to sit down next to her at the bar counter.

"He left you." It wasn't a question.

Sakura Haruno looked up in surprise when she heard the velvety voice, mood worsened by the statement. She found herself staring into bottomless black orbs adorned on a gorgeous face, and felt a shiver make its way down her spine. The man's lips were pulled up into a smirk; amusement twinkled in his eyes. Though she was sure she didn't know anyone nearly this good looking, Sakura found the face familiar. At the moment, however, she didn't think much of it.

"Is that any of _your _concern?" In no mood to be a stranger's laughingstock, she returned to her second drink, gulping it down.

He stood, "No. But now, _you_ should feel a little less guilty about _this…_"

"What—?" The rest of her words were silenced as his lips touched hers.

The kiss wasn't forceful, nor was it very long, but the tingling sensation left Sakura wanting more. She looked up at the stranger, questioning him. He took out a key card from the pocket of his fine leather jacket.

A powerful hand snaked around her waist, pulling her to him, "Ten o'clock," he murmured in her ear, "and I don't take kindly to tardiness."

And then, he was gone, leaving there a breathless girl. Sakura wasn't so naive, she was twenty-three, after all; she knew what he wanted. She didn't even know his name, and yet there she was, actually _considering _his offer. Feeling a little overwhelmed, she swallowed another glass of delightful liquor given by the bartender.

Maybe the breakup left her more vulnerable than she would have liked, maybe the alcohol was going straight to her head, or maybe it was the combination of the two. For whatever reason, Sakura Haruno stood in front of the door to a hotel suite, key card in hand; she was about to do something she'd never even dreamed of doing.

The door clicked open, "Ah, you came." Sasuke Uchiha hid his relief well.

To be honest, this was the first time he'd had doubts whether the other person would show up. It was also the first time he'd waited for someone. Usually, they'd be in the room early, eagerly awaiting his arrival.

He could tell by the uncertainty in her eyes that she'd never played this game before.

"I only have one rule," He walked towards the girl casually, leaning in, "What happens tonight disappears in the morning. Don't expect anything beyond this."

She was taken aback, innocent green eyes widened at his bluntness. After a moment of thought, she nodded, biting down on her bottom lip. With that, he took her in his arms.

Silver moonlight streamed through the glass wall, the night was still young…

--------

When Sasuke woke up, the young woman was still sleeping peacefully, cuddled up to his warmth. He frowned; they're usually gone before he woke up. _But then,_ he smirked, _she must be tired._ It happened more than once. He didn't know why, but her scent, her body, and the_ sounds_ she made: everything wonderful thing about her filled his senses and drove him wild. He'd never lost control like this before.

To his surprise, the nameless girl was chaste; it really was rare for that age (she couldn't have been much younger than he was). He discovered himself pleased with that fact, for the thought of her writhing underneath another man irked him.

It was a good thing he would never see her again; her influence over him—however brief—was undesirable.

Getting out of the satin-laden bed, he quickly showered and dressed before leaving the suite.

When Sakura woke up, the man was already gone. Her head ached slightly from the alcohol of the previous night, and her body ached slightly from…_well_…With a start, she sat up, having realized _exactly _why she felt that way. Memories came back in excruciating detail. Grabbing her own pink tresses, she dove into a plush pillow head-first and let out a blood-curdling scream.

_Twenty-three years. _After _twenty-three years _of waiting for the right person and defending her own innocence from various friends, acquaintances, neighbours, boyfriends, and unnamed perverts, she was deflowered by a _stranger_! (A stranger that looked like a sex god was, nevertheless, a stranger.) Even worse was the fact that she _enjoyed it_, and had no trouble letting him know _exactly _how much.

For the first time in many years, Sakura felt like crying.

_Don't expect anything beyond this. _

His words echoed, and the girl could not help but feel hurt. It meant nothing to him; she was sure he'd been with _many _women. But to her, this was memorable. Even if she knew nothing about him, a girl never forgot her first time.

She laughed at herself, taking in the irony: the situation, in a twisted way, resembled her favourite fairytale, Cinderella. When morning came, the glamour of night faded and made way for reality.

Sighing in defeat, she took a much needed shower and left for her apartment.

Upon arriving at her home, Sakura found that she came face to face with roommate and friend, Tenten. The brunette, hands placed on her hips, scrutinized her closely.

"_So, _young lady," the older girl began in a stern voice, "would you care to explain _exactly_ why you didn't come home for the _entire_ night?"

At this question, Sakura seemed to shrink in size.

"Well, you see…"

"Don't even try! You did _not _get abducted by aliens; I'd already called them."

"Err…"

"You didn't stay with Ino either; I called her."

"I…"

"And I know it's over between you and that scumbag; I called him too."

"Oh, alright! I give up," she felt herself getting smaller and smaller, "I'll tell you, but promise me you won't yell …I don't like it when you yell…"

--------

Sasuke Uchiha narrowed his eyes. He'd already forgotten how many times he lost his place in the obscenely thick report. Frustrated, he threw the pile of papers onto his desk. Never before had he lost focus. Saturday nights were meant for relaxation and alleviation of stress, so he could concentrate _better _afterwards. Clearly, though, this week it was doing quite the opposite.

"So, how was she?" An irritating voice sounded at the door, and Sasuke wondered why he became best friends with _this_ idiot of a man.

"Hn." One syllable caused the room temperature to drop.

Naruto Uzumaki was unfazed. He ran a hand through brilliant blonde hair and entered the large office, making himself comfortable on the leather sofa.

"She was _good, _wasn't she?" The man laughed perversely, glint in his cerulean blue eyes.

"Quiet. Go away. Working."

"Like _hell _you are."

"Don't _you _have work to do?"

"Ha! I finished mywork, because_ I_ was focused."

"Because you didn't get laid last night."

"Aha! So you _were_ thinking about Number 72."

Sasuke cringed, _damn that memory of his_.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun," Naruto saw his friend twitch, "why not save yourself from hours of pestering and just tell me the truth?"

He sighed, the idiot had a point.

--------

"You…did…_what_?" Over the noise of the television, Tenten almost shrieked the last word.

"Remember…You promised not to yell."

"But you…with a _stranger_? What happened to _waiting_? I thought you wanted your first time to be _special_?"

"I was upset…and kind of drunk…and…he came and…"

"Okay, stop. Do we know anything _other_ than the fact that he's attractive and great in bed?"

"…"

"…His _name_, for starters?"

Sakura hung her pink head in shame, when, suddenly, she caught sight of a face on the television screen, a face that had also appeared on countless magazine covers. Her head snapped back up, eyes widening from shock.

"Oh. My. God."

Tenten seemed to pick up something from this as well.

"You…he…with the…Oh my." She was dumbstruck as well.

The breezy apartment was silent for a moment, except for a female voice on TV, "_Continuing our countdown; the number four reason why we love Sasuke Uchiha is…"_

"So when you said that he looked familiar it was because…"

"Yep." Sakura seemed to sink into the soft sofa.

"And you didn't recognize him?"

"Nope."

"So, you know what we have to do now, right?"

"What?"

"Google."

"Right."

--------

"_Dude_. That's like, so wrong."

"How so? She consented."

"She was on rebound, would've said yes to a _table._"

Sasuke glowered, his pride hurt, "I doubt that."

"You took advantage of her, _teme_." Naruto sighed, using that special term of affection, "She was probably waiting, you know."

"What for?" At this point, it was hard to hide his annoyance.

"Someone special and all that." the blonde shrugged, "If she's abstained for _that_ long, there must be a good reason."

He hated when _Naruto_ made more sense that he did (which didn't happen often, thankfully).

"You should take responsibility, you know, marry her or something." Half-jokingly, Naruto pointed out.

"That's unnecessary. She understood me just fine."

"Oh, _did _she? My mistake, then."

Letting those words linger in the air for a moment, the plasma screen television mounted on the wall of the office was switched on.

"_Well, ladies, it's the moment you've be waiting for! The number one reason why we love Sasuke Uchiha is…his cold exterior! We just know there's a little puppy hiding underneath it."_

"Turn that off."

The blonde didn't hear—he was laughing too heartily for his own good. When he'd stopped, a mischievous grin appeared.

Naruto seemed to recall running into an old friend a few days ago.

"She had pink hair, you say?" There was no answer.

--------

To be continued.

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There you go, my first fan-fiction. Hope you enjoyed reading it. I had fun writing, and would love to hear your opinions and suggestions.

Since it's summer, I should be able to update every week.

That said, see you next time!


	2. Dreaming

Disclaimer: The Naruto characters are property of Masashi Kishimoto.

**After Tonight**

Chapter Two: Dreaming...

Something was keeping Sakura up at night. Or rather, someone was. It was the strangest thing. Of course, she didn't find these dreams entirely unpleasant, but they worried and flustered her. She'd imagined his long, graceful fingers on her skin, his intense black eyes gazing into hers, and those lips, so perfectly soft, kissing her. She didn't dare tell Tenten, for fear of scolding. And she certainly couldn't tell Ino, who had recently discovered her talent and passion (or so _she_ called it) for gossiping.

Sakura sat up, frustrated as she glanced at the clock. _It's four in the morning_. The young woman sighed and collapsed back onto her soft mattress. Glaring up at the ceiling, she tried, though it was in vain, to push that face out of her mind.

Over and over, she'd told herself that that Saturday night meant nothing, and that she'd never see him again.

As a result of these restless hours of darkness, Sakura developed a new love for tea. After all, being apprentice to a prominent lawyer like Kakashi Hatake was not easy; she needed to be fully awake at all times during the day.

She didn't realize that, in a city as large as this, one could always find others in a similar predicament as hers...

As of recent, Sasuke Uchiha had not been able to sleep well. Not even once. The notion absolutely aggravated him; he'd always slept soundly. He didn't understand why, all of a sudden, his king-sized bed began to feel so empty and cold. And it was more puzzling that _she_ sometimes came in dreams, with her feathery light touches and butterfly kisses, tempting him until he caved in and woke up hot and bothered. After that, of course, he had trouble falling back into slumber. Not even Saturday nights had their intended effects anymore. And so, coffee had become a necessity in the mornings.

Naruto had two theories: either he was falling for the stranger from two Saturday nights ago, or he was going through puberty once again. Though both sounded equally preposterous and moronic, Sasuke preferred the second.

"You know, you _could_ do a little digging on her."

"Go away." He snapped.

"Oh come on," the blonde was groaned; he'd been at this for an hour, "After building a multi-million business empire, how hard is it to admit that you _like_ someone?"

No answer was given, the man in the office chair simply decided to ignore the question entirely. Naruto sighed as he looked at his best friend; this new operation might require some extra help.

"Well, whatever, Sasuke," he shrugged, leaving, "I'll leave you to wallow in your own misery, then."

As soon as he was back in his own office, Naruto locked the door, made sure no one was around, and made a phone call. And it was a very, very diabolical phone call indeed.

"Hey, Shizune, could you put Granny on the phone?"

Moments later, Naruto Uzumaki, second-in-command to the powerful Sasuke Uchiha, walked out of his own office looking beyond happy with himself.

_Don't say I never did anything for you, teme._

-------

"I'm being _sold_?" Sakura asked, staring incredulously at her mentor.

"_Auctioned_," the man with silver hair said matter-of-factly, "Calm down, now. It's just a date; you'll be free in no time."

She groaned, "But that's so _shallow._ I _hate _those kinds of events. Don't those idiots have anything better to do with their time and money?"

"Those _idiots_," he chuckled, "can open up doors for you. With that sharp mind, you're not going to be an apprentice lawyer for much longer."

"I don't need their help," she said stubbornly.

"Did I mention that all proceeds from this silent auction go to charity?"

Suddenly, Sakura's ears perked up.

"Just imagine how much money you could raise. You wouldn't want those underprivileged children to starve and go into the world without education, would you?"

"No..." she was wavering.

"All you have to do is appear at Lady Tsunade's soiree, and then go have dinner with a rich stranger the week later. It wouldn't be so bad, would it?"

"Guess not..." her defences were tumbling down; it really was no one's fault that Sakura had such a soft spot in her heart for charity work.

"_Unless_," Kakashi's soft, coaxing tone suddenly changed into a sharp, accusing one, "you _want_ those poor, sick children to—"

"Okay, I'll do it!" Finally, she gave in.

"Good. Here's the invitation; dress formally." He was_ so_ very proud of himself.

--------

"Hey, Sasuke," Naruto rushed into the office on the top floor, "You're going to Granny's annual party-thing on Sunday night, right?"

"No." The answer was flat.

"Why not? You got time; you only 'hunt' on Saturdays."

Onyx eyes narrowed in annoyance, "I didn't go last time; what makes you think that I'd be more willing this year?"

"_Because_," the blonde began with an air of mystery, "there's a silent auction this year."

One eyebrow raised in scepticism, "Great."

"_Oh._" He groaned,_ "_Just go...for _me_?"

"No." Flat as ever.

And that was when Naruto made Sasuke an offer he couldn't refuse.

"If you regret it afterwards, I'll never bring up Number 72 again."

"Deal." Anything to get away from all that chatter about her; he'd already had to endure it for sixteen days now.

The blond smirked, _like taking candy from a baby, a really vicious baby._

--------

Before he even entered the grand ballroom, Sasuke already smelled the pretentious women who no doubt drowned themselves in expensive perfume before coming here. More than anything else at that moment, he dreaded going in and talking to a room full of vultures.

He heard a familiar laugh, "You're _so_ not going to regret this."

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke walked in. As soon as he did, though, he knew that—despite himself—Naruto was right.

There she stood, like a breath of pure oxygen in this suffocating place. In a pristine white gown, which flowed down her body all the way to the floor, she resembled a goddess among mortals, composed and graceful. When he caught her sea-foam green eyes, her face gave away shock and she quickly looked away.

At that moment, he had to admit he was, perhaps, somewhat interested in her.

"Sakura-chan!" In complete disregard for the elegance of the occasion, the blonde called out.

In an instant, he was by her side, pushing away the crowd of men around her and lifting "Sakura" up into the air. The pink-haired young woman gave a delighted laugh, and was let down, her ballet slippers touching the marble floor. Mustering all the self-control he had, Sasuke beat down the urge to pull Naruto out by his ear and interrogate him until morning. Instead, he nonchalantly walked away, as if unmoved by the scene.

Not too far away, Naruto shuddered as he felt a pair of eyes bore into the back of his skull. _He'll thank me later,_ he comforted himself, _when they're married and live on a potato farm with their twelve children. _Looking to his right, the blonde was pleased to see Sakura looking across the room.

If he could, Naruto would have liked to laugh like those villains do on TV.

Sakura couldn't help herself. She knew she shouldn't look, but her eyes found him on their own accord. He managed to stand out in a simple black suit, with his handsome features and tall stature. She still remembered the way her heart pounded when he first walked into the room, his burning stare leaving her short of breath. _Stop,_ she told herself. _This_ was the man that took advantage of her vulnerability.

"Miss Haruno?" a man's voice brought Sakura out of her daze, and she found herself surrounded by well-dressed gentlemen.

_For the children,_ she told herself, taking a deep breath. Turning to her bidders, she managed a smile and let them bury her in questions.

At least Naruto was near.

Sasuke didn't like the view from across the room; he felt nameless irritation, watching as she talked with the men around her. At the moment, however, what angered him more was the vulgar conversation going on close by.

"Makes you want to rough her up, doesn't it?" the man said.

His friend laughed, "Word is, she's a virgin."

"You can't be serious."

"_Oh, _yes."

"Never had one of _those_ before; maybe I should bid on that date, too."

More lewd laughter followed, and Sasuke Uchiha unconsciously clenched his hand around the delicate wineglass, nearly shattering it. Ignoring the mass of colourful gowns around him, he poured the cool drink down his throat, hoping it would calm down all the unreasonable, irrational emotions welling up in him. Around her, he was feeling _too _strange. They hadn't even spoken that evening, but he felt drawn to her, as a moth is drawn to a flame.

And so, at the risk of burning himself, his feet moved towards her.

The men around her dispersed as he walked closer, intimidated. He saw the look on her face: surprise mixed with anticipation and fear, and, without ever uttering a word, took her away from the crowd and into the middle of the room.

Sakura didn't know what to expect, but certainly, _this_ had her at a loss for words. The piano melody began, joined by vocals and strings. With his arms wrapped around her waist, and hers around his neck, they were swaying to the music. She was thoroughly confused.

Sasuke Uchiha enjoyed the moment, paying no attention to the stares and whispers around them. His head knew how wrong this show of weakness was, but the rest of him didn't care. This close up, he smelled only her faint fragrance.

For the moment, they were the only two people in the world.

A hand left her waist, and two fingers tilted her head up by the chin. Slowly, he leaned down until their breaths were mingling. Her heart was going a mile a minute, and she felt her face growing hot. At that moment, just as Sakura was about to lean in, she remembered that _this_ was a all a game to him. Angrily, with all her strength, she pushed him away.

"I don't make the same mistake twice," After taking a long, calming breath, she resolutely told him, "It doesn't matter who you are."

As she left Sasuke Uchiha on the dancefloor, the song was just ending.

_All of your love_

_Was all that I needed..._

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To be continued.

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Thanks, wonderful readers and reviewers, your support is greatly appreciated.

I hope you like this story so far; it'd be great to hear from you.

See you next week!


	3. Sleeping

Disclaimer: The Naruto characters are property of Masashi Kishimoto.

**After Tonight**

Chapter Three: Sleeping…

"You know her." It wasn't a question.

The voice Naruto was used to hearing everyday suddenly chilled him to the bone. Sheepishly, he looked around at his surroundings. Even though the sun was shining outside, the large office itself was pitch black but for a desk lamp that shed harsh light on the person sitting across from him. The atmosphere was reminiscent of a criminal interrogation. The blond shifted in his chair, made uneasy by the darkness.

"Well," he responded cautiously, "we used to be classmates in high school…"

At this, black eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Okay, okay!" Naruto gave in, "We were best friends. A little while ago, I ran into her at Kakashi's firm; she was an apprentice lawyer."

"And?"

"…And what?" As experience showed, it never hurt to play dumb.

"Hn."

With one syllable lingering in the air, the blonde was already picturing himself being skinned, maimed, boiled and then killed. He now understood fully how frightening Sasuke Uchiha could be. Of course, last night's events and the lack of sleep certainly did nothing to ease the man's temper.

"_And_…I may or may not have set you two up last night…" Naruto laughed nervously.

"All this, just for your own enjoyment."

"That's not true!"

The retort was met by a glare.

"_Alright_, but it's only _partly_ true."

An eyebrow was raised, "There are other reasons?"

"Of course," a proud grin could be seen under the light, "I did for you, Sasuke-kun."

A twitch; and then, "Don't call me that."

The interrogation seemed to have gone off-track…

"Explain yourself; how did your little stunt benefit me in any way?"

"Well, you got to see her again," He remarked smugly, "and you even got to touch her."

"I did not want to see her, or touch her."

"Right, so you lost sleep for what, _me_?"

His response was a grunt.

"You care about her. Think about it, have you _ever_ lost sleep for anything?"

For some reason, this had now turned into a twisted therapy session…

"I do not care about her," he said after a long pause, "At the most, it's a physical attraction."

The blonde sighed in exasperation, shrugging, "If you say so."

Naruto, apparently, was the only one saw the spark between the two. Last night, they could hardly keep their eyes off one another. He was genuinely surprised when Sasuke pulled her onto the dance floor. The gesture was so monumentally out of character, that he must have felt something that was beyond physical. Clearly, though, Sasuke had yet to realize this.

_So,_ his face was pulled into a grin, _let's help him._

"Stop smiling like that," An irritated voice interrupted Naruto's unholy thoughts, "I'm getting nauseous."

With this, the interrogation ended in failure…

--------

"The winning bid was almost two thousand dollars. Don't you want to know who it is?"

"Not really. I'll get to meet him on Sunday, won't I?"

"That's true. Be careful, though. Men are such pigs."

"That's a funny thing for you to say." She laughed.

Kakashi was chuckling, "I never said I was a saint."

"Well, see you tomorrow." Sakura waved, walking away.

As if she really cared who had won the silent auction. These days, only one person occupied her mind. She wished she could stop him from invading her thoughts, but her resistance was futile. This was the man who took advantage of her, and, most probably, countless other women. She was supposed to hate men like him, but she didn't, she couldn't.

A summer breeze blew by, teasing Sakura's pink tresses. The young woman shivered, thinking of the previous Sunday night. She knew she had done the right thing by pushing him away, but _oh_, how she wanted to just lean in and close the gap between them.

_No, _Sakura collected her thoughts with a deep breath; _that would have been…_

_A mistake._

That was what she had called it; the word resonated in his thoughts. When it was nearly all that he could think of, she called it a _mistake._ Brows furrowed, he took another sip of bitter black coffee. _Perhaps,_ Sasuke thought after a long moment, _it was._ After all, that was when the sleepless nights began.

It was a good thing that she did not give in as he had on Sunday, but _oh_, how he wished that she did.

He remembered the way her lips felt, the way _she _felt, because he relived it in excruciating detail almost every night. Her hair was pink silk, her skin was peaches and cream, and her eyes were shimmering pools of emerald. She was magic—

Thankfully, the phone rang, stopping this from going further.

Sasuke sighed; his control was clearly slipping. It was all he could do to keep himself from speeding across town to find her. It was still hard to believe that one person—a woman, no less—exercised this much power over him.

Breathing deeply, he cleared his head and picked up the phone.

--------

Sasuke Uchiha started to drown himself in work, efficiently completing tasks that would normally require weeks. He did not allow himself even one moment of rest. He did not even go "hunting" (as Naruto called it) this week, since Saturday nights had evidently lost all appeal. With this new daily routine, he seemed to sleep a little better, as he collapsed in near exhaustion every night. This was a good thing; he reprimanded himself for not doing so weeks earlier.

It was Sunday evening, and the Sun's light was slowly fading, gilding the clouds with gold and pink.

"Hey, Sasuke-kun," Naruto's voice intruded the quiet office, "Have I ever told you how much I _love_ you?"

"No," was the answer, annoyance plain in his tone.

"Well, I do—"

"Cut to the chase."

"You see, I was supposed to go to Grandma's jeweller today…"

"But you can't."

"I've got a date," He laughed awkwardly, "Please? It's on the way to your place, anyways."

"Alright." He shrugged.

"Thanks."

Naruto's smile was just a little sinister, and Sasuke didn't understand why until he'd gotten out of his car. Across from the jewellery store was a lavish restaurant, and sitting there by the window, in plain view, was Sakura Haruno. She was conversing with a man well into his forties, smile on her face.

"Humph." Without a second glance, he turned his back on the scene.

He was _not_ jealous at all.

Sakura thought she'd seen a shock of black hair, but when she turned to search across the street, he was gone. Feeling relief that the date was almost over, she took a small sip from the wineglass that had just been set down.

"Shall we go?" the gentleman asked after long minutes of awkward silence.

Nodding, she stood up, feeling a little light-headed. _How strange,_ she thought, _I didn't have that much to drink._

"Are you alright?" he asked as Sakura walked unsteadily.

"Yes, I'm fine." She answered politely, trying to blink away the blurred shapes.

"You don't look very well, why don't I take you home?" The voice she'd been hearing all through dinner was becoming distorted.

"No, that's alright." Sakura managed to say, hearing her own warped voice.

_What's happening to me?_ She began to panic.

"I insist." The man took her arm as they walked out of the building.

She tried to push him away gently, but realized with horror that she couldn't move.

When Sasuke walked out of the store, carrying a pair of custom-made diamond earrings, he saw something that made his stomach turn.

Across the street, the pink-haired young woman was leaning against her middle-aged companion as the valet brought out a black car with tinted windows. Scrutinizing the man's face, Sasuke recognized—with disgust—one of the two vile men from the previous Sunday. A sick smile lit up his face as he opened a door and put the limp girl on the backseat of the car.

He cursed, _how did she get so drunk?_

Sasuke had a very clear idea of what was about to happen, and he didn't like it one bit. Quickly, impulsively, he started his own car, following the black one as it sped down the street.

_Save her, _was the only thought racing through his head.

--------

Sakura sensed the danger she was in, but she wasn't able to even lift a finger. Lying there, she felt so helpless. Suddenly the noise stopped, everything was quiet. The car door opened. The blurred silhouette of a man stood, towering before her.

"Don't worry, little girl," the chilling voice said, "This will all be over very shortly."

_Help, _she tried to call, but no sound came from her throat.

When Sasuke found the black car after nearly losing sight of it, he was in a vacant parking lot. Obviously, the filthy man had little patience. He rushed to the vehicle opened the unlocked door. And as soon as he did, what he saw corroded away what was left of his control.

The greedy bastard was already on top of her, tearing at her beautiful dress with his dirty hands. He stopped his gorging when he heard the door open, and stared in surprise. With one hand, Sasuke pulled him out of the car and threw him to the ground. His right hand formed a fist and was about to strike when he heard a strangled whimper.

He gave the older man on the ground a single kick to the stomach, and looked inside the car.

"Well? Get up." He said, offering his hand.

But she didn't move. Immediately, Sasuke realized that she couldn't; she was drugged. Sighing, he wrapped her in his jacket and picked her up gingerly. He didn't look at her for fear that he might turn around and kill the man groaning in pain behind them.

The trip felt too long, but they finally arrived. Sasuke argued with himself over what to do, and finally came to the conclusion that, since he simply didn't want to let the girl out of sight, he would take her home. There were no guest rooms in the penthouse. It was more practical this way; since he rarely had visitors, the other rooms were converted to libraries, offices and such.

Sakura felt safe. Even with distorted senses, she knew it was him. Maybe it was the drug, but she felt like she was floating as he carried her into the bedroom and set her down onto the soft mattress. With surprising gentleness, he pulled the blanket over her.

"Sleep," She heard him say, "The drug will wear off soon."

Reluctantly, she obeyed, giving him one last look before drifting off.

Before leaving her side, he made the mistake of looking at her. The sight of her curled-up frame under the moonlight compelled him to stay.

_This is going to be unpleasant in the morning,_ he thought dryly as he loosened his tie and crawled into bed next to her, too exhausted to resist.

Feeling a source of warmth, Sakura snuggled up to it. _Like a cat,_ Sasuke mused, giving into slumber.

That night, two people, still in their day clothes, slept more soundly than they had in weeks.

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To be continued.

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Thanks for reading, and sharing your opinions with me. I'm very flattered, having never expected so many people to like the story.

I hope this chapter was enjoyable to read as well. It would be lovely to hear your thoughts on it.

The drug used on Sakura is called Ketamine, it paralyzes the victim and distorts their senses while keeping them conscious.

Remember, don't accept drinks from strangers.


	4. Waking

Disclaimer: The Naruto characters are property of Masashi Kishimoto.

**After Tonight**

Chapter Four: Waking…

He woke to the soft sound of her steady breathing, and was almost lulled back to sleep by it. She held him the way a child held onto a beloved stuffed animal. If this was any other woman, he certainly would have pried himself from her grasp. Sasuke Uchiha was, after all, not a big fan of _cuddling_. But she was different.

Now, perhaps, was the right time to emerge from the shadow of denial. He was really starting to hate the occasions on which Naruto turned out to be right. He _did _care. Surely, that was the only way to explain his actions and emotions last night. Sasuke hadn't even known he was of the jealous type. He'd never felt so much anxiety, so much fear, so much raw anger. And it was all for one person. But, of the women he'd "been" with, why _her_? Annoyed with himself, Sasuke pushed those thoughts out of his mind. It was too early for such deep self-reflection.

Glancing at the clock, he couldn't help but think that maybe he slept a little _too_ well beside this fragrant, soft body. It was already ten; work began two hours ago. _So much for "too early",_ he sighed.

Then, suddenly, being late wasn't an issue anymore. The young woman beside him began to stir. She half-opened her hazy green eyes, unaware of his presence, and stretched—back arched, toes curled, arms extended, groaning dazedly, contentedly, all the while. Sasuke felt his mouth go dry. She existed only to torment him, he was sure of that now.

When Sakura's mind became less and less clouded by sleep, she felt that something was out of place. This bed was, by far, too comfortable and too warm to be the one she usually slept in. Vision focusing, she came face to face with the man who'd been haunting her in dreams. His coal black eyes caught hers in a way that left her breathless, his expression unreadable. By now, fire alarms were ringing furiously in her head.

Oh,_ no. _Sakura felt a headache coming. Without a warning, she sat straight up and moved away from him. He lay there on his side, head propped up on one arm, with his clothes dishevelled, just like hers.

"Don't come any closer!" She sputtered, "You…Me…We…"

"We didn't." He calmly told her, trying not to notice the way her entire body flushed in embarrassment.

"Oh." The relief in her voice was too evident, and then, "What am I doing here? Wait, Where _is_ here? Answer me!"

"What do you remember?"

"What's that supposed to…?"

All of a sudden, it hit Sakura much like a brick wall. Memories from the previous night flooded her. She never wanted to feel like that ever again—so weak, so helpless.

"Thank you." She didn't want him to hear the trembling in her voice.

"Hn."

The silence that followed lingered for a long time, neither one willing to break it. That was, until—

She suddenly gasped, "What time is it?"

"It's ten-thirty."

Sakura groaned, "I'm _so_ late."

Sasuke got out of bed and gazed down at her, "You…" he cleared his throat, gesturing to her dress, "have bigger problems right now."

Confused, Sakura looked down, and almost immediately hid behind the blanket. Her linen summer dress was ruined, the pale yellow fabric torn beyond recognition, exposing quite a bit of flesh. She shuddered under the covers, reminded of the older man's sweaty hands and rancid breath; a shower was greatly needed.

"Here." He handed her a black jacket.

She quickly put it on, avoiding eye contact, "Thanks, I'll wash and return it."

"No need."

Another silence and then, "I should go now."

He nodded, and watched as she left his room. Moments later, the front door clicked open and shut. The penthouse was empty once again.

Sasuke picked up the phone, dialling for his assistant, "I need you to do some research. Have the information on my desk when I get there."

--------

Now, imagine Tenten's surprise when her pink-haired friend walked into the door, after having been missing the entire night, wearing a man's jacket over her torn dress. Sakura looked up weakly.

"Can you call the office? I need the day off, I think." She said as she rushed for the bathroom.

The brunette nodded and did what she was asked. She sat waiting, noting that the shower was on for longer than usual. When Sakura walked out in her thick bathrobe, she sunk into the sofa and cushioned her head on the older girl's lap. Tenten was baffled; Sakura was rarely this vulnerable.

"What happened? That old man didn't…"

"No…" she murmured, "but he came close."

"_Oh_."

"And now…I think I like him."

"_What?_" Tenten shrieked.

"Not _him._ Sasuke Uchiha," Sakura took a deep breath, eyes unfocused, "I think I like him."

"And how did _he _come up in this discussion?"

"He's the one that saved me."

"Oh, my. So you stayed…"

"At his place."

"And that's…"

"His jacket."

"And you didn't…"

"No."

"Wow…"

"Wasn't I supposed to hate him, Tenten?"

"Yes."

"But I don't; is there something wrong with me?"

She laughed, "Of course not. We don't have much control over whom we fall for."

"Don't we?"

"Well, you've always wanted an ambitious, intelligent, and successful man. He fits that description perfectly."

"He's a little _too_ perfect, don't you think?"

"There's no such thing as too perfect."

"I wonder…"

"So, what are you going to do about this?"

"Nothing," She sighed, "I'd break his rule."

"Rules are made to be broken, you know."

"If everyone thinks the way you do, we'd be overrun by criminals."

They looked at each other; both began to laugh.

Sakura sat up and beamed, "Time for lunch. I'll cook."

"Yes! I love you."

Just then, the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"_Oh, Sakura,"_ Kakashi's voice sounded grave; _"You'd better come down here."_

"What? But I…"

"_I'm sorry. I know I just approved your day off, but this is very urgent."_

"What's wrong? Did something bad happen?"

"_Well…"_ he seemed to ponder on it, _"Yes, it's a disaster. I can't resolve it without you. Come down here, now."_

After that, he hung up, leaving her completely baffled. What situation could be so terrible, that even Kakashi needed help handling it?

"What was _that_?" Tenten asked.

"I'm not sure," Sakura was already in her room, "But it sounds like a real emergency."

"Oh, well. Good luck!"

"Thanks."

In minutes, she stood at the door, in her black suit, ready to go. If she knew what she was in for, Sakura might have dressed much differently.

When she arrived, Kakashi Hatake stood waiting at the door.

"What's wrong? Is everything alright?" Sakura was greatly alarmed; he rarely left his office during the day.

"In, in! My office, now." he said quickly, "it's a _really_ important client. He seems to be seeking legal advice in your area of expertise."

"My area of…"

He pulled her by the hand, lead her into the office, and shut her in it.

"Err…Kakashi-sensei?"

"In any case, you kids play nice." From the other side of the door, the silver-haired man was stifling laughter.

Still a little bewildered, Sakura turned away from the door. Someone sat on the large office chair that her mentor usually occupied. _That must be him;_ she took a deep breath, and approached.

"Hello, sir. How can I be of assistance?"

The man stood up from his seat and turned around, and her jaw immediately dropped. There, before her, stood Sasuke Uchiha. Quickly, though, Sakura managed to compose her self. Slowly, deliberately, he walked towards her, and she willed her heart to stop beating so wildly. _Stay professional,_ the young woman commanded herself, _answer his questions and get out_.

He was very amused now. _She really thinks I'm here on business,_ a smirk found its way onto his face. To be honest, though, Sasuke wasn't entirely sure why he was here; anyone else in the company could have picked up the newly drafted contract. Perhaps he really _did_ want to see her; it was ridiculous how weak his self control was getting these days. As soon as he walked into the door, Kakashi shut him into this office. And now, she stood before him, eroding away his defences.

_Better play along._

"Sasuke Uchiha." He offered her his hand.

She was slightly surprised, but stayed composed and shook his hand, "Sakura Haruno."

It was the first formal introduction between them, he realized, meeting her eyes. The tension in the room was palpable; her proximity didn't help ease it. He watched her plump lips as they moved to form words.

_Three weeks. _Three weeks without much sleep, thinking about her in _that _way.

"Kakashi-sensei said that you had some questions?"

When he didn't respond, pearl-white teeth bit down on her bottom lip. Sasuke thought the temperature in the room was rising.

The young woman wasn't sure what to do in such a situation; had she done something wrong? She swallowed, licked her dry lips, and tried again.

"Uh—"

At that precise moment, something within him—like a string, after being stretched to the limit—finally snapped.

Before either of them understood, they were kissing. Passionately, fervently, urgent with need, he ravaged her. It only took her an instant to respond, wrapping her hands around his neck. Fire raced through both their bodies. It could have lasted an eternity, or just seconds; they'd lost sense of time.

Eventually though, they did reluctantly part, panting, gasping for air.

When Sakura came to her senses, she felt his hands on her back. Her hands were entangled in his silken black locks, and her legs, wrapped around his waist. Her lips were swollen, but she noticed that his were, too. Still short of breath, the two locked eyes for a moment.

An understanding passed between them.

The attraction was too strong for even Sasuke himself to deny. Gently, he let her down.

"Still angry that I was your first time?" He smirked, mischief in his eyes.

Sakura thought about it, "Yes," She returned his playful look, "You really _should_ take responsibility."

"Well then," He chuckled in his low, smooth voice, "Shall I begin this Friday?"

"Why not?" She laughed; it was like music.

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To be continued.

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Thanks for getting me this far, people! Your support makes me happy.

What did you think of this chapter? Was it too fast? I thought it was about time to bring these two tortured people together.

As for their date, I'm fresh out of ideas. Suggestions are welcome and greatly appreciated.

I'll see you next time!


	5. Falling

Disclaimer: The Naruto characters are property of Masashi Kishimoto.

**After Tonight**

Chapter Five: Falling...

When he returned to the office, Naruto was already there with a smug "I told you so" look on his face. Sasuke rolled his eyes, making a mental note to lock his office the next time he left. Just as he sat down, the blonde snatched the papers that were neatly placed on the desk, scanning their contents, grin on his face.

"Why did you want the dirt on _him_?" Naruto asked as if he knew the answer.

The question was met with rustling of papers as Sasuke took them back, analyzing the information before him.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that he went on a date with Sakura-chan, would it?" The glee was a little too evident.

There was no denial, "He drugged, then tried to rape her."

The smile was all but gone; a rarely-seen serious expression took its place.

"Let's take him down."

And, sure enough, they did. In a few days, one wealthy politician's sudden bankruptcy and arrest was headlining the news. While Tenten explained the wondrous powers of "karma" to Sakura across town, Naruto was pouting as he watched the dishevelled, wrinkled face on the plasma screen.

"I thought we were going to mess him up." The whining tone was evident.

"We did."

"I mean, _physically._ I _so _wanted to hurt him. Didn't you?"

"Yes, very much."

"Well, why _didn't_ we?"

"Because," the raven-haired young man explained patiently, buried in papers, "Bruises heal, but he will never get his credibility or money back now. He's ruined."

"I don't care. I still want to beat him up."

"He's going to prison; his inmates should do a nice job of that."

"Fine." He finally said, "But why couldn't we pin anything on him but fraud?"

Sasuke glowered, "He covered his tracks well."

"He's going to be out in no time."

"He has nothing now."

"Oh yeah, that's true." Naruto chuckled, "Teme, you'd make such a good mob leader."

"Hn." He played with the idea for a moment, but decided against it.

"Now, what are you going to do about Friday?"

Sasuke sighed; he'd been trying to avoid this question.

"You have _no_ idea, do you?"

After a long silence, he admitted, rather grudgingly, "No."

"Well," Naruto beamed, "That's what I'm here for."

"You came here to slack off." He glared.

"_And, _to help you, of course, Sasuke-kun."

"Don't call me that."

--------

Anxiously, Sakura paced up and down the living room while her exasperated friends sat on the sofa.

"Will you stop?" The brunette couldn't take it any longer.

"You're making _me _dizzy." Ino fanned herself dramatically.

Sheepishly, the young woman smiled, "Sorry. I'm just nervous."

She rolled her eyes, "Since when did you get _this_ nervous?"

"I don't know." Sakura groaned, butterflies fluttering in her stomach, "What's wrong with me?"

"Alright, alright," the blonde girl comforted, "we understand. You really like him. Come here; let me fix your hair."

"He'll be here any minute. Goodness, I've never seen you like this."

The phone rang just then and the pink-haired girl jumped in surprise, "That must be him," her voice went up two octaves.

"Calm yourself," Tenten sighed.

"Go have fun." Ino smiled.

Sakura flew out the door and down the stairs. There, leaning against a sleek silver Cadillac, was Sasuke Uchiha. His onyx eyes quickly found hers, and her heart pounded. Taking a deep breath, she walked towards him. _Stay composed, _she said to herself unconvincingly;_ he's just like any other man. _Without a word, he opened the passenger's door. She smiled demurely and climbed in.

"Where are we going?" she asked as he started the car.

"You'll see, soon enough." He smirked confidently.

"Well," She muttered, "That just makes me more curious."

He let slip a soft laugh, and concentrated on driving before she could extract anymore information. She huffed and looked out the window, speculating all the places they could be going.

Meanwhile, two cars behind them, three full-grown adults were crowded into a lime-green Volkswagen Beetle.

"Where are they going?" Tenten asked.

"Who knows?" Naruto laughed deviously.

"_You_ know something, don't you?" Ino narrowed her aqua-blue eyes.

"I'm not telling." He "zipped" his mouth up.

The two girls made eye contact, and then simultaneously looked at the young man in the driver seat. He felt goose bumps springing up on his arms as they followed the silver car down a busy street.

Over the hum of the engine and the quiet piano music, Sakura heard, louder than anything, her own heartbeat. She'd never felt so..._giddy _before_. _As much as the young woman tried persuading herself to be calm, she remained flustered, wanting so very much to know where they were going. She wondered, while fidgeting with her pink gossamer gown, if she was even dressed properly for the occasion.

"We're here." He was already holding the door open for her.

"Where...?" She looked around as she got out.

Sakura was pleasantly surprised as she recognized this place; the petite building did not change very much.

"Aren't we going in?"

"Who told you?" Wide eyed, she turned to him.

"A little bird." Sasuke gave a lopsided grin, thinking that perhaps it was time to give Naruto a raise.

"You're not answering any of my questions today." She pouted.

"I did answer." He countered.

"Not properly, you didn't."

It was where her happiest days were spent, this quaint little pastry shop.

"My parents would bring me here all the time," she told him between mouthfuls of cake, beaming.

Sasuke took a sip of his coffee, watching her. He never knew a small piece of strawberry shortcake could make someone so happy. Her contentment was infectious; it made him smile a little.

"Aren't you going to have any?" Big green eyes questioned him.

_Such a child_, he mused, as she remained oblivious to the icing at the corner of her mouth. Those full lips, coated with sugar, were beckoning for him to lean in. _Can she not go one day without being so...appetizing?_ He sighed; at least no one else would see her like this.

"I don't eat sweets," he finally stated, trying not to think of how sweet _she _was.

"Oh." Her smile faltered.

Suddenly, the cake didn't taste as good anymore. To know that he wasn't enjoying himself brought Sakura's soaring spirits down. How selfish she'd been! Hastily, she finished what was left of her treat, hoping that their next destination wasn't entirely oriented around her.

"Now," she said, swallowing, "Let's go to the other place you wouldn't tell me about."

Sasuke signalled the over-eager, drooling waitress for the cheque, still trying so very hard to restrain himself. This adorable cloud of pink was going to be the death of him.

"Thank you for bringing me here." She murmured gratefully.

He almost laughed; did she not notice? Reaching across the small round table, he stood up and leaned down. Before she could react, he pressed his lips down to hers. Tasting the sugar, Sasuke decided that, perhaps, sweets weren't so bad after all.

Across the room, hidden behind menus, three jaws dropped. Really, it was a wonder no one noticed how suspicious they looked.

"Well," Naruto whispered, "I was wondering how long he would last."

"No self control whatsoever." Tenten hissed.

"Oh my," Ino sighed, "She's messy as ever around sweets."

"Old habits die hard." The other blonde shook his head.

"Ah, young love..." She said.

"Yes, that's all fine and good," the brunette tried to keep her voice down, "But there are _children_ around!"

"Oh, well," the young man said nonchalantly, "They'll learn this stuff sooner or later."

Sakura flushed red as he pulled away. She cupped her face in her hands, feeling all the blood in her body rush there.

"You had cake—here." Sasuke tapped his own lips with a long finger.

"Oh, thanks...?" she looked away, embarrassed.

He led her out of the building, glaring daggers at three certain people on the way. They flinched, and cowered lower behind the menus.

"I think," the blonde young man muttered, "our cover is blown."

"Do we keep following?"

"We've already come _this_ far." He shrugged.

"Where are they going next?" Tenten asked.

"Oh, I am _not_ telling this time."

"_Really_?" Ino cracked her knuckles.

He laughed nervously, looking at the two girls before him.

Sakura sat there in the box beside him, taking in the grand view of the lavish theatre. The curtain lifted, and the ominous music began to play. It was a tune she knew very well; she'd seen the movie version of this musical only too many times. Never before, though, had she ever imagined seeing it on broadway from the best seats in the house—_The Phantom of the Opera_.

As the lights dimmed, however, she found it hard to concentrate. He was sitting _right there_ beside her; if she just reached out a little, their hands would touch..._Stop,_ she scolded herself,_ concentrate._

Below them, on the stage, Christine sang her heart out.

_We never said our love was evergreen  
__Or as unchanging as the sea..._

"I'm impressed," Tenten kept her voice low, "To have done this, he must care about her."

"Oh," Naruto groaned, "You have _no_ idea."

"But seriously," Ino pointed out, "What's so good about this story? I mean, why would she just follow some creep in a mask down to the sewers? Isn't that kind of stupid? Why not go to dinner with that younger, better-looking guy?"

The older girl rolled her eyes, "Shut up and watch."

"Those two or the opera?"

"Either!" Came the annoyed reply.

_Floating, falling, sweet intoxication...  
Touch me, trust me, savour each sensation..._

The Opera Ghost was now seducing Christine with his song, leading her around his candle-lit lair. And then, pandemonium ensued. The actress suddenly tripped over the long train of her dress, knocking over several candle stands. The crowd gasped in surprise as the velvet curtain caught fire. The panicked cast and orchestra fled as the fire spread. The alarm rang and members of the audience immediately tried to escape, trampling over each other, all grace and elegance lost.

Really, how often did _this_ happen in theatre?

Without even a second thought, Sasuke took her hand and rushed down the stairs and out the emergency exit. There was no access to the parking lot as the fire truck pulled up; the managers apologized profusely (especially to those seated in the boxes).

"Oh look!" Ino squealed, indicating to the couple walking down the street, "They're holding hands!"

"Sasuke," Naruto laughed, "That dog."

"He'd better not be leading her into a hotel." Tenten folded her arms.

It would seem that everyone got out just fine...

The summer night air was crisp as they walked down the street, letting silence settle over them. His warm hand grasped hers, the action making both hearts flutter a little faster.

--------

"Well, that was..." Sakura looked for the right word.

"Eventful." He finished, standing beside the car, reluctant for her to go.

She nodded, smiling, "It was lovely, though, thank you."

He simply shrugged.

Without warning, she raised herself up on the tip of her toes and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. With another grin, Sakura quickly ran from him into the building.

"Good night." She called out, disappearing into the darkness.

Frozen to the spot, Sasuke reached out to touch where her lips had been. Slowly but surely, he felt the blood rush to his face. He sighed.

_What's wrong with me?_

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To be continued.

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Thank you for your ideas and encouragements; they were of great help!

As always, I hope that you enjoyed reading my story. This chapter was especially hard to write, since no one _really_ knows how Sasuke acts on a date...Some feedback would be awesome!

And yes, I worship _Phantom_; I wish _I _could go see it live.

Anyways, see you next time.


	6. Finally

Disclaimer: The Naruto characters are property of Masashi Kishimoto.

Sorry about last week; I hit a little bump in the road, I guess.

**After Tonight**

Chapter Six: Finally…

For a while now, the people working in one certain skyscraper have been thoroughly perplexed by their employer's odd behaviour. It all started a few weeks ago, when coffee-drinking became habitual for him; he seemed absolutely exhausted. Speculations were thrown out in frenzies: was it legal issues, financial crisis, health problems, or some other predicament? Whatever it was—these elite intellectuals deduced—must be something of great importance to have such an effect on him. They touched upon the idea of this being about a woman, but quickly dismissed it. After all, if there was one thing he didn't trouble himself with, it was romance.

The only one that seemed to know what was going on was one of the higher-up executives, his close friend.

Finally, the dilemma seemed to have been resolved. After a week of completely immersing himself in work, he made a trip to—according to the loud-mouthed receptionist—his lawyer's firm. When he came back, they'd noticed, by the smirk that seemed unable to leave his face, he was in a fine mood. So, it _was_ legal difficulties? With this conclusion, some became a little wealthier, and some, poorer. They thought that was the end, but oh, how wrong they were.

In that same week, the company employees witnessed two events which would surely shape modern history. The first was the downfall of a prominent politician; the second—much more disturbing—was their young workaholic boss leaving _early_ on a Friday. When he returned on Saturday morning, those who worked weekends saw him, looking…a little…_happy._ After that, on occasion, he would still visit the law firm or get off work early.

Today, though, something was off. Yes, something was definitely wrong. These sharp-witted number-crunchers could just smell it.

As Sasuke Uchiha walked back into his office, he became increasingly aggravated. He encountered someone very unpleasant today. The strange man not only declared his "undying love and devotion" to Sakura, but did so while completely ignoring his presence. Standing next to young Sasuke—with his obvious assets—most men, feeling inferior, would simply shrink away. Yet, for whatever reason, this…_creature _did onto that the fact that they both wanted the same woman, Rock Lee was a threat, indeed.

Even if there _were_ two black caterpillars he called eyebrows sitting on that face.

Where did he come from, anyways? Not around here, that was for sure. With that hair, those clothes, and that attitude of his, this one must have escaped from a museum somewhere. _Who does he think he is? _The more he thought about it, the more annoyed Sasuke became.

"That's weird," Naruto's presence did nothing to help, "You seem kind of…"

"Save it."

"Fine, but I'm just saying…"

"Hn."

"So…What happened with her?"

"How do you know this is about her?"

"_Because,_" the blonde rolled his eyes, "Your facial-paralysis-thing just doesn't function when it comes to Sakura-chan."

Sasuke sighed, _is it that obvious?_

"Now, Sasuke-kun," he dove into the couch, "Would you just tell me, already?"

--------

"I can't believe he came _back_." Sakura groaned.

"I know," Tenten sighed, "That is just…"

"Horrible?"

"Oh, dear, it's not so bad—you don't have to marry him."

"But… I promised—I can't break a promise!"

"Sakura, you were six. Most people don't take that kind of thing seriously."

"But I think he did."

"What a strange dilemma."

"He came when Sasuke was there, too."

"Well, that's…"

"I know." The pink-haired girl buried face into a pillow.

"Did he do anything?"

"Which 'he' are we talking about, now? I'm confused."

"Lee?"

"Oh…The usual." Came the muffled reply.

"_Right_ in front of…"

"Yes."

"Wow. He's pretty brave."

"Or stupid."

"Well, either way." Tenten shrugged.

"Sasuke didn't seem to care," Sakura sighed, "He just left without saying much."

Suddenly, realizing something, the brunette burst out in laughter.

"_What_?" a glare was shot at her, "This isn't funny."

"The problem isn't Lee at all, is it? You're upset because _Sasuke_ didn't show any jealousy."

"No I'm not," Stubbornly, she turned away; "I don't care about that at all."

"Right."

"Well, he just seems kind of…indifferent, sometimes."

"How long have you two been together, now?"

"Two-and-half-months, I think."

"And he still hasn't…"

"No." She shook her head.

"Wow. I was so sure that, by now, he would have…"

"Really, you think so?"

"Yes, well, I must be wrong about him, then. He seems to really care about you."

"But…"

With another revelation, Tenten gasped loudly.

"_You_," she looked at Sakura incredulously, "You _want_ him to…"

"No!" the younger woman shrieked, no longer hiding in the cushion, "I do _not_!"

"Don't you?"

"No." She denied.

The brunette laughed, "It's alright to want it, you know, if it's meaningful."

She didn't respond, but sat there deep in thought.

--------

"Sakura-san, _you_ are the sole reason for which my eyebrows wiggle."

She didn't know what to say, except, "Thanks?"

"Now, I have come back to make you my bride."

_He did take it seriously._

The young woman felt guilt in the pit of her stomach as she wondered how this could be fixed.

"Lee?"

"Yes, my youthful blossom?" His eyes sparkled with hope and expectations.

She slumped, "Oh, well, you see, I don't think I can…I just don't feel that…"

"Ah, I understand." He nodded.

"You do?"

"Of course, I will definitely wait until after we're married." His face was red.

To this, Sakura had no response. She willed the phone to ring, anything to interrupt this strange conversation. At that moment, her wish was granted—and then some.

The door was opened without a warning. Sasuke Uchiha walked into the office, suddenly making it seem even smaller. Not a word was uttered as he walked past the other man, right up to her. Sakura couldn't place the frightening expression on his face.

"What…?"

She had not time to say much else, as he quickly leaned in to—

Bite down hard on her lower lip.

Her mouth gaped in surprise and pain, and he saw this as the opportunity to kiss her into the next century. This one, unlike any other that they'd shared, was laced with the metallic taste of blood. When he finally ended the bruising kiss, Sakura was left feeling flushed and dizzy. If she'd been standing, her knees would have buckled.

Satisfied with his work, he turned to a shock-frozen Rock Lee—smirking in triumph all the while—and easily shut him out of the room.

"What was that?" she murmured.

"Punishment," He simply said.

If it was possible, she would have turned a deeper shade of red.

"By any chance," Sakura stood, "are you jealous—?"

She was silenced with another kiss, softer, shorter this time.

"What do _you_ think?" Sasuke glared, and she simply smiled.

_I'm sinking deeper and deeper_, he thought hopelessly.

"Now," he said, "Explain why there was mention of 'marriage'."

"Well," she grinned sheepishly, "you wouldn't believe it."

"Try me." Hands folded, he tilted his head to the side in curiosity.

"Err…See; it all began when I was six years old. He lived next door, so we played together a lot. And one day, he had this _huge_ piece of cake,"—her eyes lit up—"and he said, he said…"

"Said what?" he prompted.

"He said I could have it," her voice became softer and softer as she hung her head in shame, "if I married him."

"_Really_?"

She nodded in response, "He moved 10 years ago; I didn't think he would…"

"Come back to marry you?"

She nodded again.

Sasuke was so, _very_ amused. Standing before him was a bright, successful young woman who sold herself to the neighbour's boy…for cake.

With one movement, she was in his arms, their foreheads touching.

"Now," he breathed, absently toying with her hair, eyes smouldering, "What if _I_ gave you all the cake in the world?"

Sakura huffed, "I'm older now; that wouldn't work. Besides…" she muttered some inaudible words.

"Hmm?"

"I said," she took a deep breath, preparing herself, and whispered it in his ear.

"_You don't need any cake at all."_

At these words, he felt his rationality crumble. Given how they'd met, Sasuke had been holding back. He wanted her to know that she was important, that this wasn't just physical. But after this many weeks, his self-control was slipping just a little. But before he could do anything, she surprised him.

"Would you like to…come over for dinner?" She asked, anxiously fidgeting, "Tenten is visiting her parents for the weekend."

Looking into her wide, pale green eyes, he could do nothing but nod.

"See you tonight."

--------

"I didn't know you were a cook," He said, looking at the table before him.

"Well," she laughed, "My mom taught me."

All throughout dinner, Sakura was so nervous couldn't help herself as she babbled on about anything that came to mind. He didn't seem to mind, and just sat there, listening, learning.

When she was five, she ran her bicycle into a tree.

When she was eight, she kicked a boy for taking her crayons (she seemed quite proud as she was talking about it, too).

There was a pear tree in the backyard of her parents' house; they bore the best-tasting fruits.

The more he knew about her, the more precious she became.

"And yesterday, I read in the paper that—"

"Sakura, stop."

But he couldn't possibly comprehend this much in one night.

"Sorry," she looked down.

Shaking his head, he pulled her to him, arm snaking around her waist.

"Now what?" he felt her tremble as he pressed his lips to her ear.

Hesitantly, shyly, she responded, "Bed…room?"

"Good girl." He kissed her temple.

It was a good thing these walls were thick.

--------

When he woke up, she was no longer in bed; he didn't like this feeling at all. While getting dressed, Sasuke noticed that his shirt was gone. Was it in the living room? Thinking back to the previous night, it seemed to him very likely.

As soon as he opened the door, he faint heard sounds in the kitchen, and so followed them. When he entered he saw—

His shirt.

She was wearing it under an apron, cooking on the stove. Even though he was taller than her, the thing barely covered her pale legs. Sasuke sighed; this was too much. Did no one tell the girl about men and mornings?

Out of the pocket of his pants, he took out a cell phone and dialled.

"Naruto, I'm taking the weekend off." Without waiting for an answer, he hung up.

When she took note of his presence, it was already too late.

"Sa…Sasuke! Breakfast…"

"Later," he grumbled.

What a fine morning.

--------

THE END.

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Well, that's it, folks!

Thanks for staying with me; it's been very much fun.

As always, I hope you liked this final instalment.

Please look forward to my future stories.

Anyways, school starts tomorrow; I'd better start brushing my hair.

Bye!


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